observations on life, faith and leadership

Chief Joseph’s Insight

In 1873 the annual report of the U.S. Commissioner on Indian Affairs contained this info…

The commissioners arrived in the territory of the Nez Perces and encouraged them to move to reservations and adopt the white man’s customs. One of the commissioners begin to talk of the advantages of establishing schools for Joseph’s people. Chief Joseph replied that they did not want the white man’s schools.

“Why do you not want schools?” the commissioner asked.

“They will teach us to have churches,” Joseph answered.

“Do you not want churches?”

“No, we do not want churches.”

“Why do you not want churches?”

“They will teach us to quarrel about God,” Joseph said. “We do not want to learn that. We may quarrel with men sometimes about things on earth, but we never quarrel about God. We do not want to learn that.”

I think that a lot of times we white people shrug off the difficulty for Native Americans moving to reservations b/c we can only see the benefit it gave to us. It certainly impacted their ability to make money. I realize that many of us joke about Native Americans and casinos, but it has been a way for them to earn money and break some generational poverty (in which we would offer very little help).

I don’t think this conversation is about gambling. It is about the degree the “white man” went to in trying to socialize the Indians. Who was to say what kind of relationship Chief Josheph and his people had with God. But, the establishment of Church in the eyes of the “white man” would solve all problems. I think Chief Josheph was a very insightful man who realized that Church rules could possibly destroy his people. And look what happened!!!!

Another story you might find interesting is that of Tiloukait and the Cayouse Indians following the Whitman massacre. He had a very ironic observation regarding Christianity from the gallows. Check it out…..http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiloukaikt